Removable fan tray

Abstract

Fan trays and components thereof are described herein. In some embodiments, a removable, compact fan tray is configured to be disposed within a slot of a chassis. The fan tray can be latchably coupled to the chassis, and/or can include a light source, such as an LED operable to depict the status of the fan tray. Leads of the light source can be disposed within an sleeve operable to contain and/or insulate the leads. The fan tray can, in some embodiments, be configured to be keyed to a particular type of chassis slot, for example, a slot associated with an air flow direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a fan tray having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the fan tray configured to be slideably disposed within a chassis by inserting the first end of the fan tray into the chassis; and 
 a key removeably coupled to the fan tray such that the key can be moved relative to the fan tray from a first position to a second position, the first position associated with a first air flow direction, the second position associated with a second air flow direction opposite the first air flow direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the key is coupled to the fan tray in the first position; and 
 the key is configured to be received by a lock of the chassis associated with the first air flow direction such that the fan tray matingly couples with the chassis when the fan tray is inserted into an opening of the chassis associated with the first air flow direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the key is coupled to the fan tray in the first position; 
 the key is configured to be received by a lock of the chassis associated with the first air flow direction such that the fan tray matingly couples with the chassis when the fan tray is inserted into an opening of the chassis associated with the first air flow direction; and 
 the key is configured such that the chassis rejects the fan tray when the fan tray is inserted into an opening of the chassis associated with the second air flow direction. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fan coupled to the fan tray; and 
 a connector coupled to the fan tray, the connector configured to matingly couple with a corresponding connector of the chassis to drive the fan. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the key is coupled to the fan tray in the first position, the apparatus further comprising:
 a fan coupled to the fan tray; and 
 a connector coupled to the fan tray, the connector configured to matingly couple with a corresponding connector of the chassis to drive the fan, the key is configured such that the connector and the corresponding connector of the chassis matingly couple when the fan tray is inserted into an opening of the chassis associated with the first air flow direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the key is coupled to the fan tray in the first position, the apparatus further comprising:
 a fan coupled to the fan tray; and 
 a connector coupled to the fan tray, the connector configured to matingly couple with a corresponding connector of the chassis to drive the fan, the key is configured such that (1) the connector and the corresponding connector of the chassis matingly couple when the fan tray is inserted into an opening of the chassis associated with the first air flow direction and (2) the connector is prevented from matingly coupling with the corresponding connector of the chassis when the fan tray is inserted into an opening of the chassis associated with the second air flow direction. 
 
     
     
       7. A system, comprising:
 a chassis defining an opening; 
 a fan tray configured to be slideably disposed into the opening of the chassis, the fan tray configurable to move air in a first direction or a second direction opposite the first direction; and 
 a first key removeably coupled to the fan tray in a first position such that the fan tray is configured to move air in the first direction, the chassis and the fan tray collectively configured such the chassis accepts the fan tray via the opening, the fan tray configured to accept a second key, when the second key is coupled to the fan tray in a second position relative to the fan tray, the fan tray being configured to move air in the second direction, the chassis and the fan tray collectively configured such that the chassis rejects the fan tray via the opening when the fan tray is configured to move air in the second direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the chassis includes a lock within the opening that corresponds to the first key being coupled to the fan tray in the first position. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the chassis includes a lock within the opening that corresponds to the second key being coupled to the fan tray in the second position, the lock configured to reject the fan tray when the second key is coupled to the fan tray in the second position. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the chassis includes a lock within the opening; 
 the first key is coupled to an end portion of the fan tray in the first position ; and 
 the end portion of the fan tray is configured to be inserted into the opening such that the fan tray can be slideably disposed within the chassis. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the fan tray is a first fan tray configured to move air in the first direction, the opening is a first opening, and the chassis defines a second opening, the system further comprising:
 a second fan tray configured to move air in the second direction, the chassis and the second fan tray collectively configured such that the chassis accepts the second fan tray via the second opening. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fan tray is a first fan tray configured to move air in the first direction; 
 the opening is a first opening; 
 the chassis defines a second opening; and 
 the chassis and the first fan tray are collectively configured such that the chassis rejects the first fan tray via the second opening, the system further comprising: 
 a second fan tray configured to move air in the second direction, the chassis and the second fan tray collectively configured such that the chassis accepts the second fan tray via the second opening, the chassis and the second fan tray are collectively configured such that the chassis rejects the second fan tray via the first opening. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fan tray is a first fan tray; 
 the opening is a first opening; and 
 the chassis defines a second opening, the system further comprising: 
 a second fan tray configured to move air in the second direction, the second fan tray including the second key coupled to the second fan tray in the second position associated with the second air flow direction, the chassis and the second fan tray collectively configured such that the chassis accepts the second fan tray via the second opening; 
 the chassis includes a first lock within the first opening configured to accept keys in the first position; and 
 the chassis includes a second lock within the second opening configured to accept keys in the second position. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fan tray is a first fan tray; 
 the opening is a first opening; and 
 the chassis defines a second opening, the system further comprising: 
 a second fan tray configured to move air in the second direction, the second fan tray including the second key coupled to the second fan tray in the second position associated with the second air flow direction, the chassis and the second fan tray collectively configured such that the chassis accepts the second fan tray via the second opening; 
 the chassis includes a first lock within the first opening configured to accept keys in the first position; 
 the chassis includes a second lock within the second opening configured to accept keys in the second position; and 
 the first lock is configured to reject keys in the second position. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first key is a portion of a shoe removeably coupled to the fan tray in the first position, the system further comprising:
 a connector coupled to the shoe, the connector configured to electrically couple the fan tray to the chassis when the shoe is coupled to the fan tray in the first position. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the key is a portion of a shoe removeably coupled to the fan tray, the apparatus further comprising:
 a connector coupled to the shoe, the connector configured to electrically couple the fan tray to the chassis when the shoe is coupled to the fan tray in the first position. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the key is a portion of a shoe removeably coupled to the fan tray; and 
 the key is configured to be accepted by a lock of the chassis when the shoe is coupled to the fan tray in the first position, the apparatus further comprising: 
 a connector coupled to the shoe, the key and the lock collectively configured to prevent the connector from being electrically coupled to the chassis when the shoe is coupled to the fan tray in the second position. 
 
     
     
       18. An apparatus, comprising:
 a fan tray configured to be slideably disposed within a chassis having a lock; 
 a shoe removeably coupled to the fan tray in one of a first position or a second position relative to the fan tray, the first position associated with a first air flow direction, the second position associated with a second air flow direction opposite the first air flow direction, the shoe including a key, the lock configured to accept the key when the shoe is coupled to the fan tray in the first position, the lock configured to reject the key when the shoe is coupled to the fan tray in the second position; and 
 a connector coupled to the shoe, the connector configured to electrically couple the fan tray to the chassis when the lock accepts the key. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the lock is configured to prevent the connector from electrically coupling with the chassis when the key is in the second position. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a position of the connector relative to the shoe is adjustable.